“In light of today’s decision by the members of the Scottish Football League, the Scottish FA is committed to leading the challenge to reinvigorate the national game.

“This challenge requires the collective effort not just of the Scottish FA but the respective league organisations and all member clubs.

“Today is a watershed for Scottish football. There will, undoubtedly, be financial consequences on the horizon. None the less, with togetherness, an open mind, and innovative thinking, there can also be opportunity: opportunity to restructure the game and promote competitiveness, to place greater emphasis on development of young Scottish talent and to support the financial sustainability of clubs through the Financial Fair Play model.

“The Scottish FA has offered guidance and support to the respective league bodies during this process. The SPL and SFL enter a crucial phase ahead of the new season and they must reach agreement on the practical issues that require to be addressed within their jurisdictions.

“Ultimately, there must be an outcome that enables Scottish football to move on with consensus, clarity and confidence into a new era for the national game.” Continue reading →

In which I meander round the Rules of the Scottish Cup and look at some questions.

Why is Rangers FC ineligible for the Cup? Despite that the SFA have them included – pre-judging issues or an oversight?

Does the competition start when the draw is made or when the first match is played? This matters.

What round would an SFL3 Rangers enter the Cup in? It is not clear.

Can the Appellate Tribunal eject Rangers from this year’s Cup before the Preliminary Round takes place, or must it wait till after 4th August to have that option available?

Some answers can be found below.

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When the SFA disciplinary processes were ongoing earlier this year, and when Lord Glennie overturned the registration embargo, there was discussion about the possible alternative penalties which could be imposed.

On named in the appropriate section of the Judicial Panel Protocol was ejection from the Scottish Cup. Continue reading →

In which I look at what Sevco Scotland still have to do to get their team actually out onto a playing field. The main issue now is the SFA membership transfer.

However, there are various issues which suggest that this might not be a formality, and indeed that it ought not to be.

I look at what the status of the existing membership, held by Rangers Football Club PLC (In administration) is, and whether, with the new “fit and proper person” rules, it can actually be transferred to Sevco at all!

Can it be transferred whilst the various disciplinary matters are still to be determined? Should it be?

Why has there been such a delay by the SFA in dealing with this and the re-establishment of the Appellate Tribunal?

And finally, what has this picture got to do with the leadership shown by the SFA and SPL?

Mike the Chicken – rumoured to be on the short list to be the next SFA Chief Executive

In which I look at the blatant tactics of three men to assist a party which is a member of no football organisation in Scotland, and which is not asking for the “help“ it is getting. I suggest that Clyde FC get it, again, spot on, and I wonder how the fact that we have a secret ballot today could affect the outcome.

I also point out that, logically, the SFL Board cannot be in position, standing the terms of the restructuring ideas mentioned, to have reached the agreement which the resolution needs them to have reached to admit “Rangers” to SFL1. Though that will not stop them, I am sure.

Finally, if the SFL teams stick to their guns, it would be appropriate for Messrs Doncaster, Regan and Longmuir to resign today. (But they won’t).

Today’s meeting of the 30 Scottish Football League Chairmen to discuss league reconstruction proposals might be the most significant in Scottish football since the SPL was created in 1998 and possibly since the teams agreed to move from the two-league structure with the adoption of the Premier Division in 1975.